On the 29th of June, our eleven-year-old Kelpie cross, Little Bear, disappeared without a trace. For the next three weeks, we had no idea where she was, whether or not she had perished, or if we would ever see her again. Night and day, we drove and walked through Bangalow, calling her name and speaking to other dog-owners we met on the street, asking them if they’d seen a dog with red fur and adorable eyes. We imagined her hit by a car and dashing in nearby scrub, or lost and afraid. We tried to imagine her alive.We printed out hundreds of flyers and placed them in every letterbox in Bangalow. We made up posters and stuck them up around town. We checked with local vets, and with the pound. Asked friends and neighbours to keep an eye out for her. Put notices in the paper.Everyone was amazing. We received text messages and phone calls from people who’d seen our notices and, while they’d not found Little Bear, wanted to let us know they were thinking of us and looking out for her. Stray dogs fitting Little Bear’s description were brought to our attention (one of which we then took to the vet and helped reunite with its owner) but none of them were our dog.Days turned into weeks and still there was no sign of Little Bear. We continued calling for her, listening out for her bark, but hope was fading.Then we received a call from a ranger with Lismore Council. A young couple from Goonellabah had our dog. They’d had her for three weeks and had apparently been too busy to take her to a vet or the pound. After the call, I cried.When the ranger brought Little Bear home that night, she wasn’t the same. She’d lost weight and was infested with fleas. More concerning still, she was noticeably traumatised. Our always happy, excitable, friendly dog now walked with her head low, her tail between her legs, her eyes downcast.We lavished her with love; bathed her and fed her. Told her we’d missed her; speculated about what had happened; wondered if she’d ever be the same. It took some time, but the day came when she raised her head, pricked up her ears, and wagged her tail. She was back.People have stopped us on the street since then, people who do not know us but who recognise our dog. They want to know what happened, and are genuinely happy to know she is well.This article is to thank them and the countless other people who looked out for Little Bear; to let you know that she is safe and to thank you sincerely for your concern.Originally published in Bangalow Heartbeat, 2013